The law does not provide for a separate pension coefficient for the period of temporary disability. The sick leave benefit is exempt from insurance premiums, namely, contributions form pension points.
Mikhail Afanasyev, Associate Professor of the Department of Labor Law and Social Security Law at MGUA, explained:
"A long-term illness may affect the annual retirement ratio, but this does not mean an automatic reduction in future pensions with each sick leave."
The mechanism works as follows. The old-age insurance pension consists of two parts: the fixed payment and the insurance part, which depends on the accumulated points. In 2026, the fixed payment will amount to about 9,600 rubles. In one fully completed year, you can get no more than 10 points — this is the legal maximum. If a significant part of the year was spent on sick leave, the actual annual rate will be below the limit.
A separate practical aspect concerns remuneration. If the company's bonus provision links payments to actual time worked or performance, long-term sick leave may reduce the bonus or allowance. The disease itself is not considered a disciplinary offense and cannot serve as a basis for punishment.
For enterprises engaged in foreign economic activity, the issue acquires an additional dimension. Employees involved in operations with a long operational cycle — customs clearance, support of international contracts, currency control — often work under high workload conditions. The prolonged absence of a key specialist on sick leave simultaneously creates a personnel gap for the employer and reduces the annual pension coefficient for the employee himself.
A practical conclusion for HR services: when developing or updating bonus provisions, it is worth checking whether the current wording on "actually worked time" does not create hidden risks of labor disputes with long-term illnesses of employees.
Related materials:
- Internal audit in SMEs: how to keep processes and financial flows under control — how to check the company's internal regulations, including the bonus provision
- Currency control in the company's internal processes: how not to get fined in 2026 — how to insure yourself if a foreign economic activity specialist is on sick leave for a long time
